Disclaimer: I forgot to add this part in the first chapter so here it goes....My name is Pookie Sanchez and I'm an alcoholic. Oh yeah, and I don't own Nancy Drew, Bess Marvin, Frank Hardy, Joe Hardy, etc.
Author's note: I realize that compared to the previous chapter the next few are anticlimactic but please bare with me, I promise the story gets better. And anything italicized indicates thought.
Chapter 2
Joe Hardy sat pensively in his room in front of his red telephone awaiting news that had the potential to change his life. Sweat trickled down from Joe's forehead, took a detour at his nose and continued on to his lips. Joe stared in silence at the phone almost daring it to ring.
Ring!!!
Joe grabbed the phone, almost crushing it in the process, and answered, "Well?"
"It's a go."
Joe's lips curved upwards in a smile. "I'll meet you in ten minutes."
In two seconds flat Joe threw on some shoes and a jacket and was racing down the stairs. He ran past the living room and had his hand on the doorknob when he heard..
"Ahem."
Slowly he turned around to see his aunt Gertrude standing with her arms crossed.
"Y-yes?" he stammered. Ever since he was a child his aunt had contained the uncanny ability to rattle him.
"Where do you think you are going at," she turned her wrist to look at her watch, "eleven thirty on a Tuesday night? You do have school tomorrow you know."
The teenager put on his most disarming smile, "Aunty I was just going outside to check for...taggers."
"Taggers?" Gertrude Hardy asked doubtfully.
"Yes," Joe nodded, "those beasts are determined to tag all of Bayport." Joe put on his best distressed face and placed his hands on his aunt's shoulders, "And if we let them take over Bayport they will then take over the United States, and well, if the United States falls then who knows what will happen to the rest of the world."
Gertrude looked Joe in his deep blue eyes before letting out a loud hearty laugh. "Joe that has to be the worst excuse you have ever come up with."
Her nephew dropped his hands to his sides and nodded, his plan was over.
"If you wanted to sneak out of the house to perform the senior prank why didn't you just say so?"
His jaw dropped. "W-what?"
"I am in charge of you while your parents are out of town and I say you can go."
Baffled, all Joe could do was stare.
"What?" Gertrude asked innocently. "I was eighteen once, I know how much this means to you."
"Uh," Joe couldn't find the words.
"Go!" ordered Gertrude, "Or do you want to go back to your room?"
In a flash Joe was in his van driving out to Bayport High School.
* * *
"Frank! Frank Hardy!"
Frank awoke with his face inch deep in a slice of pizza. He lifted his head to see who was calling his name only to find that the cheese from the pizza was plastered onto his face.
The person calling him giggled, "That's a nice look on you."
Frank, embarrassed, wiped the cheese off of his face.
"You know you're still greasy."
He grinned, "This is what I get for majoring in Journalism."
Nineteen year old Frank Hardy was talking to his girlfriend, Kimberly Randle.
"What? You don't enjoy it?" She asked.
"That's not it," he pulled her onto his lap, "I just never expected it to be so much writing," when Kimberly raised her eyebrow he quickly explained, "I mean I knew it would involve a million papers a week but I started this stupid paper three days ago and I'm still not done."
The two were in Frank's dorm room at New York University. The room contained one bed, a dresser, and the desk he was sitting at. On the desk was his laptop, containing his never-ending paper.
Kimberly laughed, "That was my reaction when I started taking journalism last year."
"Well it's great that I'm not suffering alone." Frank smiled, pulling her closer.
"What makes you think I'm suffering?"
"You just said..."
"That I had the same reaction. Trust me, you'll get used to the pains of journalism."
He groaned, "I doubt that, I've been taking it for the last semester and a half and I still haven't 'gotten used to the pains'."
Kimberly put her hands on Frank's chest, "Well tell you what, how 'bout you take a break from all this writing and come with me to a frat party."
Frank looked at the clock in the bottom right corner of his laptop, "At midnight?"
Kimberly kissed him quickly. "Why not?"
"Well I...."
"Don't have any classes tomorrow, or have anything I you have to do," Kimberly finished for him.
After a few minutes of arguing with himself, Frank finally relented. "Let's go."
* * *
"Joe, are you sure this is a good idea?" Biff Hooper asked nervously from the back-seat.
"Chill Biff," Joe answered back.
"Yeah Biff, since when are you so jumpy?" Vanessa Bender piped up.
The three were sitting in Joe's van, parked three blocks away from the high school. Joe sat in the driver's seat, Vanessa beside him, and Biff in the back.
"Since I got talked into going along with this stupid prank."
Vanessa turned around, a look of patience masking her annoyed face, "We have done much worse. How about all those times we could have gotten arrested helping Joe and Frank on cases?"
"Yeah but-"
"But nothing," she snapped, "we will go through with this prank and like it." She immediately felt bad for snapping at her friend but he had been complaining the whole time they had been driving to the school.
Biff sat back. "Man Joe, did she ever treat you like that when you two were dating?"
Joe grinned, "Worse, my friend, much worse."
"Hey!" Vanessa replied indignantly before smacking him on the head.
"I see what you mean," Biff said.
Both boys laughed.
"You know what," Vanessa started in an angry/insulted tone that only she could do, "if you two don't stop teasing I'm going to tell both of you the other person's secrets."
The boys stopped laughing immediately.
"That's better," Vanessa muttered.
"There's Gary's signal," Joe said excitedly, seeing a light flash three times in the distance.
"Oh good Lord, Gary is the one in charge of this," Vanessa groaned, "Maybe Biff was right, this might not be such a good idea."
"Just come on," Joe ordered.
All three teenagers got out of the car, all dressed from head to toe in black. Each were dressed in black jeans, black shoes, and black gloves. They also each held a small bag filled with a screwdriver, flashlight, and a mystery substance.
Once out of the van, they ran three blocks and did not stop until they reached the side of Bayport High School. There they found another group of seven teenagers, all dressed like Joe, Vanessa, and Biff, and all ready to pull the largest prank in Bayport High's history.
Joe recognized six of the seven teenagers, Mariah Brahams, Jonathan Meirs, Gary Fio, Tamany Harall, Courtney Johnson, Michael Rotello, and Kendra Wilson. The seventh, hard as he tried, Joe just could not place. He could only see her face. As far as Joe could tell she was African-American with a dead serious look in her hard brown eyes.
"For those of you who don't know," Gary's voice broke into Joe's thoughts, "this is Sweet Rodriguez." Gary was motioning toward the girl Joe could not place, "She's kinda new to this school." After everyone had acknowledged Sweet, Gary went on, "Well let's get started, everyone brought what they were supposed to."
In seconds Joe found himself being lifted off of the ground to reach an air vent. He took a screwdriver out of his bag and unscrewed the cover on the vent. Carefully, he placed every screw in his bag. Then, he threw the vent cover down to Biff, who caught it. He looked down at the person lifting him, Jonathan, and nodded. Joe had only meant for John to help him get into the vent by giving him a little push but Jonathan practically threw him in.
Alright, I'm in.
As Joe crawled deeper into the labyrinth of vents, Sweet was raised into the vent, followed by Mariah, Michael, Kendra, Courtney, Tamany, Gary, Vanessa, and finally, Biff. John was to act as lookout.
Joe took a flashlight out of his bag. As he turned the flashlight on he realized that he would have a hell of a time crawling down vents while holding his bag and the flashlight.
Should have thought of that before.
The young man maneuvered his way to a fork in the ventilation system. He took the right vent along with Mariah, Kendra, Biff, and Gary, as was planned, while Sweet, Courtney, Tamany, Vanessa and Michael turned left.
As Sweet crawled through the vents she couldn't help but notice the dismal conditions of Bayport High School's ventilation. With the aid of the faint rays of light being projected from her flashlight she could make out mold growing everywhere. Some areas of the vents were rusted reminding Sweet of some old footage she had seen of sunken ships on the Discovery Channel.
Yeah, great analogy, moron. Pretend you're in a sunken ship, that's gonna help.
Before the girl knew it she had found her destination, a vent leading into the principal's office. Masterfully she began the task of removing each screw. One by one she placed them in her bag. Sweet removed the vent cover, placing it out of the way. With out fear she jumped down into the office. She looked up to see the others carefully making their way down.
Once everyone was out of the vent, Vanessa went over to the principal's desk and immodestly went through his drawers. She was careful not to leave a mess, as she did not want anyone to find it the next morning and become suspicious, instead she used a systematic searching method she had learned from Joe. Finally, she found a key chain with at least twenty keys on it.
"How did you know it was there?" Sweet whispered.
Vanessa looked up to see everyone staring at her. "I just know my stuff." Vanessa haughtily walked over to the door leading out into the hallway and unlocked it. "Come on, we have work to do."
"What about Joe's group?" whispered Kendra.
"They know what to do," answered Vanessa.
* * *
"Kimberly!" Frank yelled over the music, finding it ridiculous that he had to yell for his girlfriend to be able to hear him, especially because she was dancing only an inch away from him.
"What!" She yelled back, throwing her whole body into another rhythm provoked dance.
"I should go!"
"Why?!" As she said this she was still smiling and dancing.
"I need to finish my paper!"
Frank was beginning to feel uncomfortable. He was in the middle of a crowded frat house, being shoved and pulled in every direction. On top of that, early on he had been chewing gum and kissed some chick he had thought was Kimberly and the chick ran off with his gum.
Kimberly stopped dancing and looked him in the eyes. "Okay if that is what you want."
"I hope you aren't mad." Frank yelled, "But I just want to throw on some PJs and finish the paper from Hell!"
His girlfriend smiled and placed her hands on either side of his face. "No it's alright! That's what I love about you, you work hard!" She kissed him, "Besides," she said jokingly, " I LOVE SEEING YOU IN YOUR BRIGHT PINK BUNNY PJS!"
Unfortunately the moment she started the last sentence, the song ended. Everyone stared at Frank and Kimberly in disbelief. Frank felt his face burn and knew he was turning bright red.
As the partiers went back to dancing, Kimberly stifled a giggle. "I'll be right back. I need to go get my jacket. Meet you outside."
Frank was more than willing to leave the room. However, before he left he took one long look at Kimberly. He couldn't help but think that he got the prettiest girl on campus. She had dark brown hair that flowed gently to her mid back, with bright green eyes that accentuated her lively face. The only thing Frank had to get used to was her height, Kimberly was by far the shortest woman he had ever dated. When they kissed he had to lean over and she would have to stand on her tip toes.
Once outside Frank took in a deep breath. He had forgotten what body-odorless air smelled like. He closed his eyes thinking of nothing, just clearing his mind, when he heard someone talking behind him.
"Yeah, just let me find my other shoe," an eerily familiar voice was saying.
Frank turned and opened his eyes in shock. "Callie Shaw?"
The woman opened her eyes a little wider than they usually were, "Frank! It's great to see you!"
At 5' 5", with short black hair, and deep brown eyes, Callie was everything Frank remembered her to be.
"Um, you two know each other?" a woman standing next to Callie asked. Frank recognized the woman as Cynthia Coops, another Journalism major.
"Yeah, Cynthia this is Frank, my ex boyfriend. And Frank-"
"We've met," Frank interrupted, shaking Cynthia's hand.
"Callie I'll start looking for your shoe, you can catch up."
As soon as Cynthia was gone, Callie became angry. "Why are you here Frank?"
"Callie in case you've forgotten," Frank frowned, "I go to school here. The question is, why are you here?"
"Frank Hardy that is none of your business!" Callie yelled, "Maybe I like coming out here from Philadelphia State. I'm not restricted from the state of New York just because YOU are in it." Callie paused, "And besides, I came out here to visit my boyfriend."
"Your boyfriend?"
"What?" She spat, her voice dripping of venom, "I can't have a new boyfriend?"
"That's not why I-"
"Grr. You are so egotistical Frank! Why should I never get over you?! You just want me wrapped around your finger for the rest of your life! You just can't stand that I found a new man after you got rid of me!"
Frank looked perplexed, "YOU broke up with ME!"
Callie waved her hand, "Details, details." She walked off in search of her friend.
Confused, Frank waited for Kimberly
* * *
The teenagers surveyed their work. Both groups had found their way to the same hall. Joe grinned, their work was complete! Every door, with the acceptation of the entrances and principal's office door, was rigged. With the help of Sweet and Courtney's physics and math expertise, every thing would go according to plan.
"Time to leave," Biff announced.
"Yeah," Greg groaned. "It's already 12:30 in the morning and if we are planning on coming back to school at seven to watch this fiasco, we need to get some sleep."
All the teenagers left the building through the vents in the principal's office, Sweet leaving last so she could put the screws back in the vent cover.
As they all left the building, went to their cars and drove off, the anticipation of the following school day haunted them.
* * *
10:30pm, same night, Wilder University
"Come on Nancy!" yelled Bess Marvin.
Nancy Drew shook her head; sometimes her friend was full of too much energy. The two girls were at a party at Bess' sorority house. Bess had gotten the idea to introduce Nancy to some football player in a less than clever ruse to sway Nancy's affection away from her current boyfriend, Michael Gianelli.
Bess half dragged Nancy to the second floor balcony. Nancy took in the sight of a group of rowdy young men gathering around a six foot, muscle bound, red haired, man, smashing a beer can against his forehead. Nancy knew they were football players by pure instinct.
"Dude!" One of the football players exclaimed.
Letting go of Nancy, Bess cut through the crowd and grabbed the red head by the hand, dragging him over to Nancy. "Nancy," she said breathlessly, "this is Gilbert Hoodrow."
Up close Nancy could make out all of Gilbert's imperfections. She saw that he had extra body hair. She could make out a unibrow and what seemed to her like an extra hairy covering over his skin. Nancy fought a grimace as she politely shook his hand, which was also covered in hair. Bess took this time to carefully slip away.
"So Bess tells me you are some kind of reporter babe," Gilbert smiled.
Nancy fought back an urge to punch him, and fought another urge to shudder. Gilbert's teeth were jagged, chipped....and yellow. "I work on Headlines," she replied politely, referring to her on campus news show.
"Really? Cuz I've watched that show every week and I've never seen you on it." Gilbert seemed puzzled.
Nancy replied, "I am pretty sure I work there. Do you remember my co-host Michael Gianelli?"
Gilbert screwed up his face in concentration, "Is he that old guy?"
"What?" Nancy asked, a little worried for Gilbert's mental state.
"Sure, that old guy and that young chick on that one channel. Reggie and Kate?"
"You mean Regis and Kathie Lee?"
"Yeah them." Gilbert nodded.
Nancy moved in closer to Gilbert, dropping her voice down to a whisper, "Can you keep a secret?" When Gilbert nodded she went on, "I am on that show, but in disguise-"
"Are you Regis?" Gilbert whispered back.
"Yes, but no one can ever know because if they did it would lead to the beginning of," Nancy looked around nervously, "the Russain Revolution."
Gilbert backed up and put his hands up in what looked like surrender, "You know what? I don't think I can be with you, I don't want a complicated love life. I like things simple."
Yeah I'll bet, Nancy thought.
Out loud she said, "Good, run along like a good little boy. But don't tell anyone anything."
Nodding, Gilbert half ran back to his group of idiot jocks. Nancy stiffled a laugh and went back into the sorority house to find Bess.
Once inside she realized finding Bess would be harder than she had anticipated. People were like sardines in every spot on the second floor. Nancy couldn't even see the stairs leading to the first floor. Everytime she tried to push her way through the crowd she would get pushed back, or some guy would mistake that as an offer to dance with him. Realizing her task was futile, Nancy ducked into the nearest door and, after turning on the lights, found herself in what she realized was one of the sorority girls' rooms.
At least no one is in here.
Nancy sat on a queen sized bed.
I'll just sit here until the party dies down.
Nancy looked at a nearby clock, seeing that it was only 10:30.
Crap, I could be sitting here for the next six hours.
Deciding against waiting, she looked around for a way out. Using her detective skills she deduced that the only way out was through the window opposite the bed. Sighing, Nancy walked over to the window, opening it with no trouble.
Ah well, it wouldn't be the first time I've had to escape a building through the window
The detective sat herself on the windowsill, evaluating her situation. Unfortunately, this was the side of the building facing the front yard. The only way down would be on the other side of the building where Nancy could easily grab hold of the gutters and slide down to the ground. On this side, Nancy saw, the only ways down were jump and fall.
Just as Nancy decided to climb up onto the roof, so as to make her way to the other side of the building and climb down, she heard voices arguing.
"Look," a man's voice was pleading, "we don't have to go through with this."
A woman's voice was full of venom, "Do you want it or not you pathetic loser."
"Hon," a second man's voice attempted to calm the woman down, "don't lose your temper, you know what the doctor said."
Nancy was frozen on the windowsill, listening in curiosity.
"I know," the woman calmed down, "but if we don't get this done in the next week he's going to be pissed."
"Don't you think I know that?" questioned the first man, "I'm just starting to doubt the plausibility of us getting away with this."
"Look," man #2 said, "This is what we'll do. Let's go to the Diner and have pie. Then we can hang out at my place and discuss our plans."
"Alright," the other two replied in unison.
The teenage detective could tell that the three had left. She began to feel her heart beating faster, her senses sharpened, and she knew one thing....this was definatly a case.
Just as she was about to climb onto the roof she heard someone scream, "Oh my God! That girl is going to jump!"
Confused for only a second, Nancy realized the person was screaming about her. A group began to form outside of the house, all the partiers now interested in a girl that might commit suicide.
"No! I'm not going to-" Nancy attempted to yell down at the massive crowd, until she realized they were too busy gossiping to hear her.
Whatever
Nancy climbed up to the roof.
"She's climbing higher!" screamed another person.
"She's making sure she'll die!" Yet another person screamed.
Rolling her eyes, Nancy made her way to the back of the house. She firmly grasped the gutters and slid down towards the ground, into the backyard. Nancy walked into the house hoping to find Bess. No such luck. Instead she ran into, literally, a cheerleader wearing her cheerleading uniform, holding a cup of something red. The cheerleader ended up with the red drink all over her white uniform.
"Hey," the girl cried, "Look what you did?"
"I'm sorry," Nancy apologized, "I didn't mean to-"
"Like hell you didn't!" exclaimed the cheerleader, "You regular chicks are all so jealous of girls like me!"
Nancy gave in, "Yes, that is the truth. I so, like, want to be a cheerleader. And when I saw you standing there in your uniform I just wanted to hurt you so bad."
"Well," the girl responded, "I guess since you told the truth I can let you go."
I'm going to be sick
"Oh, like, thank you!" Nancy smiled, making her eyes light up.
"Sure, whatever, just go."
Nancy continued through the house until she found the front door. Walking out the door she saw the group of people still watching the roof.
Unfortunately someone noticed her and yelled, "Look there she is!"
All at once, Nancy felt herself being grabbed by a rather large man. He took her to a nearby ambulance that Nancy had not noticed. Along with the ambulance was a fire truck.
Crap Nancy thought as she realized what had happened. When I find out which of these idiots called 911 to "save" me, I am going to go postal!